Solar-Ray,Inc

Florida's Most Qualified Solar Contractor

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How do we get electricity from light?When certain semiconducting materials, such as certain kinds of silicon, are exposed to sunlight, they release small amounts of electricity. This process is known as the photoelectric effect. The photoelectric effect refers to the emission, or rejection, of electrons in response to light.

How does it work?Solar PV generates electricity from light (photons). The more light that shines on them the more energy they produce.

Is Solar Power a good investment?Yes! Solar is a great and secure investment, better than investing your money in savings accounts or IRA’s. If you are looking for an ethical place to put your money then solar PV will benefit you and the planet.

How long will a Photovoltaic (PV) systems last?A PV system that is designed, installed, and maintained well will operate for more than 30 years at 80% of performance. The basic PV module (interconnected, enclosed panel of PV cells) has no moving parts and can last more than 30 years. The best way to ensure and extend the life and effectiveness of your PV system is by having it installed properly. Experience has shown that most problems occur because of poor or sloppy system installation.

Can I use photovoltaics (PV) to power my home?PV can be used to power your entire home’s electrical systems, including lights, cooling systems, and appliances. PV systems today can be blended easily into both traditional and nontraditional homes. The most common practice is to mount modules onto a south-facing roof, or ground mounting.

How much does a solar system cost?The installed cost of a PV system will depend upon the size of the system (based on your consumption), the roof type, the type of modules and mounting style. Solar systems are half the cost from years ago and there are federal tax credits available to help you reduce the cost of the system.

Are there any hidden costs?Every installation is unique; however, we strive to ensure that everything is transparent and accurate as possible. Contact us if you have any questions 407-443-4404 or info@solar-ray.net

How long does it take to install the average system?The average domestic system will take one day to install.

How is a solar electric system design, installed and maintained?To avoid system failure, complications or injury, you will want to hire a reputable professional contractor with experience in installing solar systems. PV systems have few moving parts and require little maintenance. The system's components are designed to meet strict dependability and durability standards that withstand the elements. However, they are fairly sophisticated electric systems to installation which require the knowledge and experience of a licensed contractor.

Where can I find a professional who designs, installs and maintains photovoltaic (PV) systems?Look into the following websites:

www.NABCEP.com www.SolarReviews.comWhat is North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)? NABCEP is the most recognized and esteemed certification the solar industry offers. A NABCEP certified contract is to the solar industry as a Master Electrician is to electrical contracting. Certification offers the public a high degree of protection because practitioners must voluntarily meet standards and qualifications and pass exams. NABCEP Certification is the ultimate validation of experience and knowledge in the growing solar industry.What happens if things go wrong?Contact us if you have concerns about your system, or you think it’s not generating as it should. We will send someone out to resolve the issue.

Will solar power protect me from power bill increases?The prices of oil and other non-renewable sources are on the increase. This trend will continue, getting more dramatic as shortages of supply increase. The price of your electricity from solar will never increase as the fuel is free and infinite!

Does solar power reduce pollution?Absolutely. The major contributor to global warming is the emissions of carbon dioxide from power stations.

GLOSSARY:

60 CELL: Refers to the PV cells in a module. 60cell module.

72 CELL: Refers to the PV cells in a module. 72cell module.

AC POWER ALTERNATING CURRENT: is the rate of flow of energy past a given point of the circuit.

AC POWER: Alternating Current. An electric current that reverses its direction many times a second at regular intervals, typically used in power supplies.

CHARGE CONTROLLERS: charge regulator or battery regulator limits the rate at which electric current is added to or drawn from electric batteries. It prevents overcharging and can protect against overvoltage.

DC POWER DIRECT CURRENT: is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current (DC) is produced by sources such as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type.

DC POWER: Direct Current. is the unidirectional flow or movement of electric charge carriers (which are usually electrons). The intensity of the current can vary with time, but the general direction of movement stays the same always.

FSEC: Florida Solar Energy Center. FSEC is the largest and most active state-supported renewable energy and energy efficiency research, training, testing, and certification institute in the United States

GRID TIED: also called tied to grid or grid tie system, is a semi-autonomous electrical generation or grid energy storage system which links to the mains to feed excess capacity back to the local mains electrical grid. When insufficient electricity is generated, or the batteries are not fully charged, electricity drawn from the mains grid can make up the shortfall.

INVERTER CHARGERS: is a combination of an inverter, battery charger and transfer switch into one complete system. When AC power is available, the inverter/charger recharges the house batteries. It also allows any surplus AC power to pass through and power downstream AC loads, such as a television set or microwave oven. When AC is disconnected, the unit inverts DC battery power into AC electricity.

INVERTER: A solar inverter changes the electrical current from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).

KILOWATT HOURS: (symbol kWh, kW·h, or kW h) is a unit of energy equal to 1,000 watt-hours, or 3.6 megajoules. The kilowatt-hour is commonly used as a billing unit for energy delivered to consumers by electric utilities.

MICRO INVERTER: is a device used in photovoltaics that converts direct current (DC) generated by a single solar module to alternating current (AC). The output from several microinverters is combined and often fed to the electrical grid.

MODULE: a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells.

SILICONE CELL: Solar cells made of monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si), also called single-crystalline silicon (single-crystal-Si), are quite easily recognizable by an external even coloring and uniform look, indicating high-purity silicon.

MPPT: or maximum power point tracker is an electronic DC to DC converter that optimizes the match between the solar array (PV panels), and the battery bank or utility grid. To put it simply, they convert a higher voltage DC output from solar panels (and a few wind generators) down to the lower voltage needed to charge batteries.

NABCEP: The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) offers entry level knowledge assessment, professional certification, and company accreditation programs to renewable energy professionals throughout North America.

NET METERING: Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid. For example, if a residential customer has a PV system at the residence, it may generate more electricity than the home uses during daylight hours. If the home is net-metered, the electricity meter will run backwards to provide a credit against what electricity is consumed at night or other periods where the home's electricity use exceeds the system's output.

NREL: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Is the United States' primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility, and is funded through the United States Department of Energy (DOE).

PANEL:refers to a photovoltaic module or to a set of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules electrically connected and mounted on a supporting structure.

PHOTON: A particle of light that acts as an individual unit of energy.

PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) CELL: The smallest semiconductor element within a PV module to perform the immediate conversion of light into electrical energy (direct current voltage and current). Also called a solar cell.

PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR SYSTEM: Commonly refers to a photovoltaic system, photovoltaic power system, PV system or casually solar array, is a power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and directly convert sunlight into electricity.

SECURE POWER SOURCE (SPS) OUTLET: An outlet socket that delivers up to 2,000 W of opportunity power when the grid goes down. The power available during secure power supply operation depends on the solar irradiation on the PV modules

STAND ALONE POWER SYSTEM (SAPS): also known as a remote area power supply (RAPS), is an off-the-grid electricity system for locations that are not fitted with an electricity distribution system.

SUN HOURS: is a climatological indicator, measuring the duration of sunshine in given period for a given location on Earth. It is a general indicator of cloudiness of a location and thus differs from insolation, which measures the total energy delivered by sunlight over a given period.

UNDERSTANDING PRICE AND TERMS

Each PV module has a specific power rating that identifies how much electricity that module will produce at the point the sun is strongest. The ratings from all the modules in a system are totaled to get the full power rating for the system. The cost of your complete system (modules, inverter(s), mounting system, wiring, design, engineering, jurisdictional permitting and installation) is then divided by the total maximum power rating to get the cost per watt.

Example: A 2,000-watt system, that has a total cost of $8,000, is considered to cost $4 per watt.

SOLAR PV SITE EVALUATION

Solar-Ray provides one of the most thorough and precise solar site evaluations in the industry. Below is a description of what you can expect. Call today to learn more or schedule an appointment (407) 443-4404, or email info@solar-ray.net

Full year’s analysis of your solar exposure from five points of the projected array location using digital imaging from a Solar Pathfinder.

Identification of significant shading objects with the time of day and month they will occur.